Putin says the riots in Kazakhstan were a well-coordinated attack from outside

Russian President Vladimir Putin called the recent unrest in Kazakhstan an attack on the republic. According to Putin, one should respond to such acts of aggression immediately, without delays. 

Speaking at the extraordinary meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Putin also noted that there were power information technologies used in Kazakhstan to support the riots, similarly to how it happened during the 2014 riots in Ukraine. Putin pointed out the activities of well-organized and well-controlled militant groups, some of whom had received training in terrorist camps abroad.

CSTO peacekeepers will stay in Kazakhstan as long as needed, the Russian president indicated.

Peacekeeping forces can remain deployed in Kazakhstan during a limited period of time, and they will be obliged to leave Kazakhstan when the administration of the republic deems it necessary.

Military contingents of CSTO countries were deployed in Kazakhstan following the official request from the leadership of the republic in accordance with Article 4 of the 1992 Collective Security Treaty.

The CSTO forces sent to Kazakhstan acted swiftly and seamlessly, which made it possible to prevent the crisis in the republic from worsening, Putin said. Russia sent to Kazakhstan units of Airborne Forces that had undergone profound training. 

"The measures taken by the CSTO have clearly shown that we will not let anyone rock the boat here. We will not allow scenarios of so-called color revolutions to be implemented," Vladimir Putin said.

CSTO countries must be prepared for any provocations so that such situations do not catch anyone by surprise.

According to the President of Russia, his Kazakh counterpart Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev demonstrated courage during the riots in the country. He consolidated the society, law enforcement agencies and the population to repel terrorists. Tokayev took responsibility in his hands for relevant operations.

President of Kazakhstan: The riots were attempted coup

President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev said that the protests and riots that started in the republic on January 2, 2022, were part of an attempted coup d'etat. 

Speaking at the extraordinary meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Tokayev stated that the prime goal of the terrorists was to undermine the constitutional order in the republic, seize power and attempt a coup d'etat. The militants, the President of Kazakhstan said, wanted to create chaos in the country for the purpose. 

According to Tokayev, terrorists, including militants from foreign countries, were directly involved in the aggression against Kazakhstan, whereas their actions during the riots were coordinated from one center. The riots broke out as if by one single command, Tokayev said, adding that the militants, who were planning to seize the presidential residence, abandoned their plans after they learned about the arrival of CSTO peacekeepers in the country.

“Armed militants rushed into the city from three directions like a huge flock of hyenas. At first, they pretended to be peaceful demonstrators, misled the police and even the city residents. The events that followed afterwards will go down in history as, perhaps, the Alma-Ata tragedy,” Tokayev stated at the meeting.

Massive protests in Kazakhstan erupted on January 2, 2022, due to a sharp increase in prices on gas for vehicles. The protesters quickly replaced their economic requirements with political ones and demanded former Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev should leave politics.

Kazakhstan riots: Number of casualties unknown

On January 9, Kazakh President Tokayev posthumously awarded 16 servicemen and police officers who were killed during the riots in the country. On January 10, the nation declared a nationwide mourning for those killed in the riots.

The number of law enforcement officers, who were killed in Kazakhstan during the nationwide riots has risen to 17, the press service of the Interior Ministry of Kazakstnan told Interfax.

It goes about police officers, the National Guard and the military, the Interior Ministry said on Monday.

Earlier it was reported that there were a total of 16 law-enforcement officers killed in the riots. The death toll among the participants in the riots and the civilian population was not announced, although, according to unconfirmed reports, it goes about hundreds of people. 

Children's Ombudsman of Kazakhstan Aruzhan Sain said that two children were killed and one remains in serious condition as a result of the riots.